60 Pro Pulls to the Left

[Walleye Fisherman]

Purchased a used boat with a 60 Pro Yamaha, went fishing Saturday, ran great, but when I increased the speed there was a hard pull to the left. Increased speed and the pull increased also, when I opened it up it felt like I was arm wrestling someone. If my hand ever slipped of it would most definitely through me out of the boat. What would pull the motor that hard to the left. (Tiller pulls to the left, boat turns to the right..)

[pstephens46]

Does it have a trim tab? If it does, verify it is the correct one. Then look at the adjustment.

Are you familiar with trim tabs?

Get it fixed before you go back out. Otherwise we may see your boat running in circles, unmanned, on Youtube....

[DennisG01]

Directly above the prop, there should be a sacrificial anode (commonly called a "zinc", but that isn't really the proper term). On your engine, it should be triangular - looking like a little fin. This can be rotated left of right to help compensate for steering torque. While looking at this piece, from behind the engine, rotate the trailing edge of the anode to the left. Another way to explain this... looking down on the anode, rotate it clockwise. This will help "steer" the engine slightly to the right. It may not completely eliminate it, but it should help.

Another thing that can alter this is the angle of the engine. Often with an engine trimmed all the way down/in, it can cause this. You might want to try different trim/tilt angles, as well.

I've seen some engines where the triangular trim tab is not "sacrificial", but rather normal aluminum/metal. Either way, same function.

And just to confuse things even more, be careful with searching for "trim tab" on the net. Some boats ALSO have "trim tabs", which are kind of like elevators on an airplane tail wing.

[boscoe99]

Ditto to all of the above. I can say from experience that if the tiller friction is not sufficiently tightened down to prevent P factor (propeller turning force) from turning the motor it can be dangerous. Very dangerous. I almost got thrown out of my own boat. At night. Took my hand off the tiller handle and the motor went full left and the boat did an immediate right hand turn. To this day I am not sure why I did not depart the boat. I think the aluminum hull has dents in it from my finger nails.

Here is a link to an owner's manual for the P60 model. Read page 2-13 about adjusting the steering friction and page 2-14 about adjusting the trim tab anode.

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/assets/s...-02-90_656.pdf

Try to never take your hand off of the tiller handle when the boat is underway. Don't be a damn fool as I was. And if I had a tiller handle model again I would damn sure wear the kill switch lanyard so that if you are thrown from the boat it won't come back around and run you down. Make sure the kill switch works.

Propeller marks in the head are very unbecoming. The mortician won't be able to make you look well for those at your open casket viewing prior to the funeral.

[robert graham]

Ditto to all of the above. I can say from experience that if the tiller friction is not sufficiently tightened down to prevent P factor (propeller turning force) from turning the motor it can be dangerous. Very dangerous. I almost got thrown out of my own boat. At night. Took my hand off the tiller handle and the motor went full left and the boat did an immediate right hand turn. To this day I am not sure why I did not depart the boat. I think the aluminum hull has dents in it from my finger nails.

Here is a link to an owner's manual for the P60 model. Read page 2-13 about adjusting the steering friction and page 2-14 about adjusting the trim tab anode.

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/assets/s...-02-90_656.pdf

Try to never take your hand off of the tiller handle when the boat is underway. Don't be a damn fool as I was. And if I had a tiller handle model again I would damn sure wear the kill switch lanyard so that if you are thrown from the boat it won't come back around and run you down. Make sure the kill switch works.

Propeller marks in the head are very unbecoming. The mortician won't be able to make you look well for those at your open casket viewing prior to the funeral.

Yep, we had a local Water Deputy got killed near here about a month ago...got thrown out and the boat came back around and ran over him entangling his life preserver in prop, drowning him....don't know if prop also hit his body/head but he was sure dead...about 32 years old with wife and kids...bad news!!!

[Walleye Fisherman]

I was hoping not to mention it but yea, my hand slipped off when I tried to adjust my grip. I didn't fly off but I should have, was moving at a good clip. Far to fast for the problem I was having. I'm sore and black and blue and still a little rattled. Going to get this fixed before I kill myself or someone else. Thank you for your response.

[99yam40]

come back an let everyone know what you found wrong and what fixed it.
it educates others reading what others found

[Marc Kruse]

Also make sure to wear your Kill Switch.

[panasonic]

Ditto to all of the above. I can say from experience that if the tiller friction is not sufficiently tightened down to prevent P factor (propeller turning force) from turning the motor it can be dangerous. Very dangerous. I almost got thrown out of my own boat. At night. Took my hand off the tiller handle and the motor went full left and the boat did an immediate right hand turn. To this day I am not sure why I did not depart the boat. I think the aluminum hull has dents in it from my finger nails.

Here is a link to an owner's manual for the P60 model. Read page 2-13 about adjusting the steering friction and page 2-14 about adjusting the trim tab anode.

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/assets/s...-02-90_656.pdf

Try to never take your hand off of the tiller handle when the boat is underway. Don't be a damn fool as I was. And if I had a tiller handle model again I would damn sure wear the kill switch lanyard so that if you are thrown from the boat it won't come back around and run you down. Make sure the kill switch works.

Propeller marks in the head are very unbecoming. The mortician won't be able to make you look well for those at your open casket viewing prior to the funeral.

I guess I should hook my safety lanyard back up to the kill switch.

[boscoe99]

I guess I should hook my safety lanyard back up to the kill switch.

In a tiller steered motor I do. In a remote con*****ed motor I don't.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Any updates?

[panasonic]

In a tiller steered motor I do. In a remote con*****ed motor I don't.

I can honestly say I have never clipped one of those on myself...ever. But I never ever let go that handle unless at dead idle..Not saying that is the right thing to do...I am just saying...

You can get flicked out of a remote steer boat as well....

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I can honestly say I have never clipped one of those on myself...ever. But I never ever let go that handle unless at dead idle..Not saying that is the right thing to do...I am just saying...

You can get flicked out of a remote steer boat as well....

I'm the same, the cord isn't even on the boat...

[99yam40]

I actually started using mine when I am alone in the boat after a local **** warden got thrown out of his boat and run over by his own boat.
If others are in the boat I figured they could help if needed.

but then both could be ejected and we would be in bad trouble.

those that run 35 to 50 or above have a lot more chance of being ejected than me running 25 to 30 mph